Calne Town Council is preparing to review its flag policy following questions raised by a Freedom of Information (FOI) request about the display of the Progress Pride flag on the Town Hall.
The policy, first adopted in 2022 and updated in 2024, will be discussed at an upcoming Full Council, with a revised version expected to be considered for approval.
Advice is being sought from Wiltshire Council regarding the process for applying for consent to display non-standard flags, should this be the decision of the Town Council. This will assist the Town Council whether it wishes to allow flags not on the nationally approved list to be flown in the future.
A FOI request, submitted earlier this year, asked whether the council had the legal authority to fly the Progress Pride flag - a version of the rainbow flag that includes additional colours representing transgender and minority communities - under national planning regulations. While flags such as the Union Flag, Armed Forces Day flag, NHS flag, and the traditional six-stripe rainbow Pride flag are exempt from planning permission, the Progress Pride flag is not.
This means that, technically, Wiltshire Council must grant express consent before it can be flown.
Mark Edwards, Calne Town Council’s Head of Business, explained: “Calne Town Council first adopted its flag policy in 2022 to address issues raised by residents, with an update made in 2024. A further review is underway, and a revised version will be presented to the Full Council for approval.
“Under the existing policy, any resident may request a flag to be flown. Since the policy’s adoption, only two such requests have been received. It has also been identified that planning permission is required for flags not included on the nationally approved list.”
Mark Edwards added that the town councillors have agreed to lobby the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) to press the Government to include the Progress Pride flag on the list of flags that can be flown without planning permission.
Some residents, however, have questioned this approach. Violette of Wiltshire Watch who submitted the FOI about the flag noted that the council has known since August that the Progress Pride flag was flown without planning permission. “Why is the council lobbying NALC before completing a public consultation on the flag policy?” she asked. “The view taken at the time that the Progress flag was a development of the Rainbow flag suggests no listening or research was done.”
Under the Nolan Principles, public bodies are expected to act with integrity, objectivity, and transparency. Violette has asked the council to clarify how these principles have been observed in pursuing the lobbying effort while the policy review is ongoing.
The flag’s display at Calne Town Hall has drawn a variety of reactions from residents. Some see it as a visible sign of inclusivity, representing support for LGBTQIA+ communities. Others have seen it as divisive and Wiltshire Watch question “how we are not united under the Union Flag and where is the concern for others such as those de-transitioning hurt by this ideology?”
The debate over the Progress Pride flag is part of a broader national conversation about symbols in public spaces. Some councils have paused displays pending legal advice, concerned that flags incorporating additional colours may be interpreted as making a social or political statement. Others continue to fly the flag as a commitment to equality for all residents.
The town council has indicated that the review will consider both legal obligations and community engagement, aiming to ensure that Calne Town Hall remains a space representing the town’s diverse population.
*Photo credit Calne Town Council
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